


Our Sanctuary

by LifesRichPageant



Category: The Walking Dead (Comics), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Childhood Sweethearts, F/M, Love, Mystery, Romance, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-05
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-19 04:43:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4733186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LifesRichPageant/pseuds/LifesRichPageant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Carl follows Enid on a run in the middle of the night full of hormones and hunger for adventure, they meet great danger but together they can survive. But do they realise the path they are following are putting the ones the cherish at the most danger as the walled fortress of Alexandria faces its biggest ever threat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

OUR SANCTUARY

Episode One

It was an unusually bright and sunny day. The sun beating down through the clouds. The sky washed in the thin white haze. The world seemed unusually beautiful as Rick Grimes stared out the window and loaded his handgun with six bullets. The streets of Alexandria were quiet, people were too scared to leave their homes after seeing what Rick did. Executing Pete right in front of everyone left the whole town in a state of shock. Rick couldn't stop thinking about what he had done either just three days before, he hadn't slept since. Meeting Morgan after such a long time, he felt like his life had come full circle. A never-ending circle of misery and pain that was tearing his life apart. He just hoped he wouldn't lose anyone else before it was all over.

Deep in thought, Rick bowed his head, closed his eyes and prayed. He prayed for Carl. He prayed for Judith. He prayed for Jessie. He prayed for a better life. This place, Alexandria, was perfect and he just had to keep it safe and he would keep it safe at any cost. Just ask Pete what happens when you cross him.

Rick was snapped out of his brief reverie when he caught the refection of Jessie in the mirror. Jessie had forgiven him for killing Pete. It was what she wanted too deep down and it took someone with Rick's ruthlessness to finally put an end to Pete's tyranny.

Jessie approached him slowly. She had forgiven him but was still cautious. He was like a wild, untamed beast who could go off at any moment. Still she needed him. She trusted him to keep her safe. She pressed herself up against him encircling her arms around his waist resting her cheek on the back of his shoulder.

"Are you ok, Rick?" "I'm fine. Just thinking what I can do to make this place safer. There are people out there, lots of them, who will try and take this place. We have to be ready."

"Don't worry Rick. We'll make it together."

"Jessie," he said pulling away from her embrace. "We should worry. You haven't been out there. You don't know what I've seen. There are people, terrible people who do terrible things. We met a group who tried to eat us. They lured us to their community and tried to eat us." Rick started to raise his voice and Jessie backed up. "Can you see why I don't trust this community, Jessie?"

Tears welled up in Jessie's eyes. "I understand." she said almost shaking. "I understand the things you have to do now. I will never question your judgement again. You were right to kill Pete. He was out of control."

Jessie hugged Rick again and this time Rick reciprocated wrapping his muscular arms around her slender body. A warmth ran through his spine. He had forgotten this feeling. This feeling of love. It had been so long since Lori. He wanted it more than anything else in the world. Jessie stood on tip toes and then put her lips to Rick's ear and whispered: "I love you."

"I love you, too." he whispered back running his fingers through her long, blonde hair.

The front door opened suddenly and Carl burst through wearing a blue denim jacket and Rick's sheriff hat.

He noticed that Rick and Jessie were sharing quite an intimate moment.

"Hey dad. Sorry, hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Rick and Jessie released their hug and stepped aside slightly embarrassed as if they were kids caught in the act.

"No, no, you're not interrupting." said Rick coughing and blushing a little. "Where's Judith?"

"Aaron and Eric are looking after her."

"Aaron and Eric?" said Rick as if Carl had just mentioned the devil himself.

"Yeah I was looking for Carol but I couldn't find her."

"She was here." said Jessie. "She just brought some cookies up for Sam. He loves Carol's cookies."

"Don't worry." said Carl. "Aaron and Eric are really great guys. Judith will be safe. I just came to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Enid and I want to go on a run and I'm just wondering if it's ok."

"Absolutely not." said Rick putting his gun back in his holster. He was dressed in his sheriffs uniform and he really felt like he was a sheriff again back in King County ordering people around. "It's too dangerous. Haven't you seen how many walkers are out there now?"

"Please dad, Enid is going with or without me. I just wanted to let you know."

"Forget it Carl. You're not going out, not unless I am with you."

"Dad, I'm not a helpless kid anymore. I can take care of myself."

Rick paused to think. He agreed but couldn't bring himself to show his emotions. He felt like he had to be stern to protect Carl, to protect everyone. EVerything felt like it was on his shoulders and he was carrying the burden of an entire town. "My decision is final Carl. You are not going out there. Tell Enid that she's stupid and risks her life going out there alone."

Carl huffed and tapped his teeth in the way only a teenage boy can. He left in a sulk, shuffling out the door and slamming it behind him. Jessie looked at Rick thinking he may have been too harsh but Rick was never going to change. He was too hard headed. She liked that about him, but was also scared.

xxxxxxx

 

Upstairs, Sam sat on his bed devouring the plate of chocolate chip cookies that Carol had baked for him. The crumbs pilling up on the sheets as he munched his way through each one.

Sam was so glad for Carol. He was so confused since the death of his father and Carol had been like a special auntie, so sweet and so kind comforting and supporting him. She was always there with a smile and a freshly baked plate of cookies whenever Sam felt lonely or sad.

Sam looked out the window. The bright sun blinding him as he put his hand up to shield his eyes. Then there in the distance just over the wall he saw a boy about his age. Sam thought he was hallucinating for a moment and rubbed his eyes. He looked again. There was the boy, shaggy brown hair, he looked young, maybe even younger than himself. He was waving his hand and looking directly at him. It wasn't possible surely. The boy was now perched up, sitting on the top of the wall waving his hand.

Sam couldn't take his eyes off the boy. He stared, almost hypnotised, his waving arm like a dangling pendulum. Who was this boy? Sam dropped the plate of cookies on the floor and gasped.

Sam saw the boys lips move. He thought he could see him calling out his name. He could almost hear it. "Sam." The boy's faint voice carried and Sam staggered out of bed and bolted from the room without a second's thought.

"Mom!" he shouted from the top of the stairs.

"What is it?" said Jessie running to the foot of the stairs as fast as she could. "Come look at this!"

Jessie and Rick came up the stairs and into Sam's bedroom. Sam wiped the crumbs from his bed and climbed up. "What, Sam?" Jessie said, folding her arms. Sam pointed out the window and told them to look. They did but they didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Just the sun up above, the streets still silent and over the way Sasha in the bell tower ready as ever with her sniper rifle - there was nothing unusual out there. Certainly not a young boy perched on top of the giant constructed wall around Alexandria.

"There was a boy!" Sam screamed. "He was sitting on the wall. He was calling for me."

"Oh Sam, there's no one out there. It's just your imagination."

"But I did see someone. There was a boy, he was waving at me. Honest!"

"Looks like you've had one too many cookies, Sam." said Rick chuckling.

"Please check this out. He might be lost. We should call Aaron or Daryl. He might need help!"

Jessie realised that it was probably just his imagination. Boys his age tended to have too much of it. Sam was known for his stories and his invisible friends. Jessie just accepted it as a phase and was sure he'd grow out of it.

Jessie turned to Rick, her eyes full of hope and fear.

"I'm sorry about this Rick, he can be like sometimes."

Rick smiled. "I know."

Memories flooded back to Rick of Carl growing up. Dealing with tantrums and a kid who would do anything to try and get his own way. He missed those days.

Jessie and Rick turned and left Sam's bedroom but Sam couldn't bring himself away the window. He was still transfixed.

He looked again at the wall and squinted. There once again, he could make out the outline of a young boy sitting on the wall waving. He was laughing too and Sam wondered to himself what the big joke was.

xxxxxx

 

It was night time now. Alexandria was going to bed for the night. Lights were being switched off and there was complete silence on the streets. Enid was waiting by the wall, tapping her feet and on the far side of town, well out of sight of Rick and Sasha. She was more worried about getting caught than ever. Aiden and Nicholas never noticed when she slipped out but now Sasha was always on the lookout and Enid had to be stealthy.

The air was much chillier at night time. People tried not to go out much and people were scared. The people of Alexandria were scared of the darkness but this was the time Enid liked the best. She folded her arms and shivered slightly as a stiff breeze rushed through her. Enid's clothes were ragged and torn and tomboyish. She was a survivor. She had survived on her own for so long. Running from home to home, fighting for every meal. Then she found this town, Alexandria. It was just like her hometown in Fairfax County. But just like Daryl, she felt restless and out of place now in perfect suburbia. This wasn't her home anymore, she had no home and always felt safer outside the walls.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, and spun around instinctively snatching her knife from her belt and holding it in front of her. Carl put his hands up and stepped back.

"Sorry." he said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok, just forget about it. Are you ready?"

Carl took a small silver pistol out of his pocket and held it up before her. She took a good look at it, giving a sarcastic smile - not the least bit impressed.

"You're going to draw every walker around with that thing."

Carl let out cheeky smile when out of his other pocket he picked out a long black silencer. He screwed it on to the muzzle and after a few moments of twisting his slender fingers and around and fumbling trying to get in place, he managed to attach it to the end of his gun.

"Always prepared, Enid." said Carl. "That's me."

"Don't get cocky, Carl."

"I'm not cocky. You know, I've been out there too, out on the road for a long time. Surviving hand to mouth. You have no idea what I've done, what I'm capable of."

She knew. She saw it in his eye. She knew what he had seen and she had seen it too. The horror, the nightmares, the blood, the killing. She knew it all.

"Yeah, I get it Carl. But don't get too full of yourself. That's what's going to get you killed."

"I'm fine. It's my dad I'm more worried about. You've seen how erratic he's been. And he's been getting more protective again. He wouldn't let me go on this supply run with you."

"You gonna listen to your dad, right?" said Enid looking at the ground and kicking the stamping on the tall grass. "Good idea. I wish I had listened to my dad."

"I'm still going though. He can't control me anymore. I'm old enough to look after myself."

"Ok if you're sure then follow my lead."

Carl didn't mind following Enid's lead or being bossed about by a girl. He climbed up over the corrugated steel fence after her. Carl jumped down from the top with a loud crash. Enid immediately rushed over to check if he was ok.

"Nothing broken." Carl whispered.

"Come on." Enid said extending her hand and pulling Carl to his feet. "Quick! Before Sasha sees us!"

Carl and Enid ran side by side towards the large forest area that ran around the outskirts of the town. It was the main supply of wood and fuel for Alexandria but it was Enid's special place to hide.

They were on the outside now and the world stretched out before them. No longer cooped up like a rat in a cage, they were free as the wind. Out there where the walkers roamed and danger lurked around every corner. Enid and Carl felt so free.

Suddenly they saw a light coming from the main gate and then a rumble and the sound of screeching tyres. Enid yanked Carl back behind the trees. They peered round together and saw it was Daryl on his motorcycle zooming off into the distance. Enid breathed a sigh of relief, just glad they weren't spotted.

They sat leaning back on the trunk of a huge oak, gaspy and sweaty. They sat in almost total darkness with only the faint house lights of Alexandria looking like little specks a kilometre away.

They both sat in silence. Enid liked the silence, but Carl was intrigued. He had been intrigued with this girl since the very beginning. Who was she? He didn't know anything.  
"Are you going to finally tell me what happened to you?" Carl asked after a moment of trepidation.

Enid sighed and rolled her eyes like she had told him a thousand times. "Why did you come with me?" she asked in a deep monotone.

"You said you were going on a run."

"But I never asked you to come with me."

"No, I wanted to." said Carl, gulping. He had never been this close to a girl his own age. He feared the rejection more than anything.

"You wanted to protect me?" "No, no, I thought we could make a team."

"I'm not sure I would have you on my team, Carl." she said. And in that instance, Carl's face turned white and his expression hung like a dead fish. "I don't need you and I don't need anyone." she continued.

Then in an inexplicable rush of adrenaline and testosterone he placed his hand on Enid's cheek then gently lacing his fingers through her fine hair.

"That's not true, Enid."

Carl's tone was a hushed and serious whisper like he was telling her the most important thing in the world. "We all need someone."

Enid watched his lips form those words and they pulled at her heart. Carl placed his hand on hers and he was surprised when she squeezed his tightly making butterflies fly up from his chest. He had never felt this way before.

"Let's camp out here tonight." said Enid.

"Out here? What about all the walkers?"

"I'll show you a place."

Enid sprung up, took Carl's hand and helped him to his feet again. She led him around the forest. Carl was just following her blindly not even looking back to see where they had come from or how they might escape in an emergency.

An endless stream of trees and bushes blackness raced through Carl's vision and then finally they stopped. Enid pointed at one lone cedar amongst a sea of oaks. Carved in the trunk as if on purpose was a gap big enough for the two teenagers to squeeze into.

Enid went in first and then Carl just barely made it inside. It reeked of dirt and damp. And the thick trunk dug into their skin through their clothes. But it didn't matter to them because in there their bodies pressed together, stuck like glue and their hearts raced. They were so close, they could literally feel the other's heart beat. "Is this place really safe?" asked Carl with a watchful eye surveying the area.

"Perfectly safe." replied Enid. "I come here all the time. Walkers never come here."

"The walkers come when you least expect it."

"Look here the branches on this tree are so thick we can sleep up there."

"Are you serious?"

Carl and Enid stared at each other, so close, they could practically taste each other's breath.

"I'm serious." she said in the low monotone voice she always had.

Carl kind of liked it. He liked her moodiness and he liked her temper. He felt very safe with her. He knew she was a survivor just like he was.

"Hey Carl, give me a boost."

"What?"

"Come on, give me a boost." Enid said one more time. This time holding her foot up off the ground in front of him. Carl smiled and then looked up finally realising what she meant.  
There was a narrow hole that led up to the branches from inside the tree. Carl interlocked his fingers and held them out, palms facing up. Enid smiled and gave him a playful slap. She then put size six boot on Carl's palm and hoisted herself up high into the tree.

Carl felt her weight in his arms. She was heavy but not discomfortingly so. Carl was surprised by his own strength. Did she even need a boost?

"Are you coming or what?" said Enid from up above.

Carl was suddenly snapped out of his daydream.

He climbed up. His hands were slipping and sliding on the wet bark but he somehow managed to scramble up to the top where Enid was waiting for him on the long branch that stretched out a good four feet. Enid sat perched with her legs dangling over the side. Carl came up next to her.

Enid pointed upwards to the stars.

"The night time is so beautiful." she said.

"Yeah, you forget the beauty of the world sometimes. The beauty of nature and the beauty of people."

They turned to look at each other again. They fell silent but their minds were transmitting secret airwaves and they both felt it. They felt the night time cool air and the soft cry of the owls nearby and their faces came closer and closer together, touching.

Then Enid backed away suddenly. Blushing. Her face was bright red like a lobster and Carl's was too.

"L-Let's get some rest here." Enid said stuttering over her words.

"Yeah, I'm tired." replied Carl, too embarrassed to say anything else.

Enid closed her eyes and allowed her head to gently roll onto Carl's shoulder. He glanced down at the sleeping girl and things started to stir inside of him. He sat there and closed his eyes and drifted off wondering if she felt the same about him too.

Carl couldn't relax though even feeling Enid gentle breath on his cheek. He knew he had to keep a look out. He wanted to make sure they were safe and he felt like it was his duty to protect them.

He scoured the area. There were no walkers. It was quiet, a bit too quiet for his liking. In Carl's experience, bad things always happened when things were quiet.

He kept looking. Indeed, there were no walkers anywhere near the area. Enid had been right. She had found the perfect little sanctuary for them to escape Alexandria together. But what if his dad found out? Rick would go crazy if he found them outside the walls alone and unprotected.

Then Carl squinted and in the distance standing on a tree top, he was sure he saw a young boy of about eight years old with shaggy hair. He was waving to him. Carl shook his head to make sure he wasn't imagining things. He squinted harder to try and get a closer look but it was so dark he couldn't even make out the colour of the boy's hair. Still, Carl was sure it wasn't Sam. He would never come out that far by himself.

Carl then thought he heard the boy calling his name over and over again. He turned to Enid. She was fast asleep on his shoulder and couldn't hear any of this.

Carl looked back to see if he could see the boy but he was gone - disappeared into the darkness.

Carl slapped himself lightly thinking he had spent so long in the wilderness that he was losing his mind. Carl placed his head down gently on top of Enid's and drifted off to sleep. Still he couldn't help wondering who that boy was and why he had the sudden feeling that they were being watched from all around.

TO BE CONTINUED…..


	2. The Stream

Episode Two - The Stream

Sunlight hit Carl Grimes' eyes and he wearily opened them batting away the flies and mosquitos buzzing around his face. He yawned and stretched, lifting his arms up to the sky and then he noticed Enid wasn't sitting next to him anymore.

He remembered clearly the night before. Enid's head placed delicately on his shoulder - the feeling gave him goosebumps. For all the walkers he had killed, this was the first time he felt like a real man.

Carl opened and closed his eyes a few times to try and squeeze the sleepy dust out of them, his vision still a little blurry. He wondered where Enid was. Carl looked up at the bright sun up ahead. Judging from the sun's position, high up in the south-east away from Alexandria, he guessed it was about 11 o'clock. Carl couldn't even remember the last time he had overslept like that. It must have been when he was a little kid, his mom shouting at him to get ready for school. He could still hear her voice echoing in his mind.

Carl was worried about Enid. She could be anywhere in the forest. Perhaps she went back to Alexandria. He tried to stand up on the branch almost losing his footing and falling down 15 feet to the ground. He climbed down the side of the tree using all his grip strength to hang on as desperately as he could, then letting himself slide down and when he was just a few feet from the bottom he jumped and rolled in the dirt and leaves.

Carl dusted himself off and went looking for Enid. He whispered her name a few times hoping to get her attention rather than the attention of the walkers. He was in a never-ending maze of trees, a sea of green and brown which was starting to make his eyes sore. He thought he saw Enid in the distance but as he got closer, she disappeared. Perhaps that little boy was still around the forest. Carl was still spooked. He checked his pocket, gun at the ready. The rustling of leaves behind him, he spun around, gun drawn but it was nothing. Then another sound and a pair of hands clamped down on his shoulders. He jumped and spun around again only this time to be met by the most amazing green eyes.

"Enid." he shouted.

Her face was dirty like she had been lying on the ground but her green eyes shone through.

"Shut up, keep your voice down." Enid whispered putting her finger to his lips. "Come here, look what I found."

Enid led the way as they moved through the forest like young hyenas skipping from tree to tree. Then suddenly Enid crouched down and pulled Carl down alongside her. She pointed at the other side of the forest where there were lots of trees and branches cut down and a clear path had been made. "Someone else has been through here." she said still whispering.

"That could have been from before."

"No, no." said Enid shaking her head. "I come here all the time. That path was laid now recently. Someone else has come here. Someone other than the walkers." Enid pointed to the ground where there were two set of footprints, not terribly huge and not terribly deep. They could have been made by sneakers or plimsoles. Enid looked closer and continued. "These tracks have an obvious aim. The walkers just meander aimlessly. But these tracks are human. They have real intent.

"Who do you think made them?"

"I don't know. But I want to find out."

Carl gulped. He knew hanging out with the girl meant trouble but he was also excited. This was his first adventure without his dad. But just thinking about his dad made him worried. He knew Rick would have probably sent a search party out already to look for him.

And even though he knew it meant more danger and more fear, Carl followed Enid anyway. Down the carefully laid path that led out of the forest to a narrow stream. Carl watched the meandering blue stream stretch off into the horizon. He looked down and saw Enid cupping her hands and scooping up the water into her mouth.

Carl was thirsty too, so thirsty. He knelt down next to her and drank. The water was fresh and good. Carl looked at Enid and his heart melted away. He couldn't explain it, but there were feelings and emotions swirling up inside of him. He could feel them in his stomach, all the way up to his throat and especially the heart that throbbed with a beat so pounding it felt like it was going to come out of his chest.

Carl did his best to hide it though and simply offered a smile her way.

She didn't smile back.

Carl looked around. Alexandria was now nowhere to be seen; they were miles out. Just thick green foliage and crowds of trees behind them.

"Maybe we should head back." said Carl nervously. "We are too far out."

"Back to what?" said Enid rolling her eyes at Carl's childishness. "It's not safe out here."

"Look it's just as safe out here as it is back there. We are no safer back in Alexandria. Those people there don't know how to survive."

Carl paused. He knew she was right somehow. Still he was worried about his dad finding out.

"But you see," Enid continued. "I know you know how to survive."

Enid stroked his cheek roughly and painfully digging her palm into his jaw.

"It all started after my dad died." said Enid, recounting the long tale of what brought her to Alexandria in the first place. "It was just me and my mom and my twin sister, Lori."

"Lori?" The name instantly struck a chord inside Carl's heart.

"Yeah, I never got on with her that well when we were kids. We were always fighting and stuff. But I miss her so much now."

"What happened?"

"We were making it just fine just outside Washington DC. The White House set up a big refugee camp there."

"You actually stayed at the White House." Carl said, almost laughing.

"Yes. there were lots of secret underground nuclear bunkers scattered throughout the city. We met the President. We were in a big meeting room with the Secretary of Defence and a bunch of other high ranking people. They split us all off into groups. I was lucky to be in a small one with just my mom and sister and an old couple. Just looking at them with the fear in their eyes. I knew they weren't going to make it. There was enough food but we kept waiting for an announcement from the President. They said there would be one but it never came. As the old couple started to get sick from disease, I convinced my mom and sister to leave. They didn't believe me. They had never seen one turn just from dying naturally before. I had. My dad, shot accidentally by riot police during our escape from Fairfax County. He was shot in the stomach. He held my hand as was spitting up blood and he told me that I had to make it to the end. And that's when he turned. I panicked and ran. I ran so fast and found mom and Judith back at the house. The windows were all boarded up. It was so scary. I don't even know how we made it out of there alive."

"I remember too." said Carl. "I was down in Atlanta."

"Atlanta? You've come a long way. See, I knew you were a survivor."

"What happened after you left the White House?"

"We left just before the shit hit the fan. But we saw the President, he had already turned, bitten on the side of the neck. My mom screamed and he came at us. Later there was panic and rioting and the whole place got burnt to the ground. We made it just in time. Then we set up a small camp with a dozen or so survivors on the edge of the city on a hilltop. We even set up some walls. We thought it was really safe, but nowhere is ever safe anymore, right?"

"Yeah, I've been behind walls too. We found a prison with walls and barbed wire. It was perfect."

"Did someone try and take it?" Enid asked with a wry smile.

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"If you have a secure place, there will always be people who try and take it."

"Then we found a place. We were tricked and they were going to eat us."

"If you would have told me that a few years ago, I would have been shocked but nothing surprises me anymore."

"What happened to your camp outside DC?"

Tears started to well up in Enid's eyes as every vision, every memory flashed before her in a red haze of blood and violence.

"People came. They had a truck full of walkers. They broke in and ransacked the place. They all had "W" carved into their head. The walkers did too. They killed mom and Lori. Stabbed them in the neck and then in the head. I hid behind our tent watching the whole thing, shaking and crying. But I managed to get out. I was the only one. And ever since then, I've been alone. I wandered through endless towns and endless forests. Being alone is all I know now. I can't remember what it's like to have any real friends."

"Enid." Carl said softly. "I told you you're not alone anymore."

Carl and Enid held hands for a moment there listening to swishing sound of the stream racing by. Time stood still. Carl thought they were going to kiss again but a strange groan from behind Enid jolted them out. Enid's head snapped back. It was a walker with a "W" carved in its forehead. It lurched forward with mindless lust just wanting to devour their brains. Enid and Carl sprang up. Enid was faster, her knife was already in her hand as she jammed it into the side of the walker's temple without a second's hesitation. They were showered with blood as it spurted out and the walker crumbled to the floor.

"Stick with me, Carl." said Enid putting her knife back in her pocket. "You'll be fine."

Carl liked her cocky and confident side the same way he liked her brooding and moody side. There didn't seem to be a side of her he didn't like. He patted her on the back and thanked her. Again Enid didn't smile back and Carl knew she would be a hard nut to crack. But one that would be worth it hopefully if he kept trying.

Carl and Enid walked along the side of the stream skimming stones along the surface. "Looks like that walker was just a one off." said Carl chucking another stone and sending it sinking into water. "Maybe but they usually travel in a group, so let's be careful."

Carl threw another stone and watched it sink.

"The water is pretty deep." he said and then kneeled down and tried to touch the bottom with his hand - he couldn't. The stream was long and it meandered around down the hillside. Carl wondered where it led to. Streams had to be a good thing because it was probably connected to a river, which would probably be connected to a sea. There would be fish. It could be perfect, more perfect even than Alexandria. He knew the walkers couldn't swim so moreover, it would be safe.

The stream was about twelve foot wide - too far to jump and Carl didn't really feel like swimming either so he was quite content just to stroll along the side. Perhaps they would meet a bridge soon to help them across.

"I like this." said Carl. "I miss just walking lazily with nothing to do. I was always with mom and dad back then."

"I don't miss it." said Enid. "I always felt trapped as a kid. Now I'm free."

"You call this freedom? Trapped in a world of walkers?"

Enid didn't reply and fell silent, her head facing down. Carl wanted to say sorry but couldn't bring himself to say it. She fell deep in thought and didn't even notice when a grotesque slimy hand shot out of the water and grabbed her ankle. Enid screamed and desperately struggled to get away from the hand wrapped around her. Carl took a knife out of his pocket and cut the hand off. The W-etched walker then appeared out of the murky depths and Carl didn't hesitate to slam the knife solidly into the side of its cranium. The walker folded up and crumpled back into the stream; the strong current carrying it far away.

"Stick with me, Enid." said Carl copying her line and putting his knife back in his pocket. "You'll be fine."

Enid wasn't amused. She sat on the grass huffing and panting and sweating. It was so close to being the end for her right there. She knew it could all end in an instance. She was prepared for it. But also a little scared.

She thanked Carl as he helped her to her feet and she dusted herself off getting all the loose seaweed off her ankle.

"These damn things can live in water." Carl said surveying the stream.

"But they can't swim though, right?"

"No, I don't think so. At least I hope not."

Carl was sure. He had never seen a walker swim after all. But his memory suddenly flashed back to that one near the farm. The one he let get away. The one that killed Dale. It still haunted him, awake and asleep. He would never forgive himself for that.

"Come on, there may be more, let's get out of here." said Enid encouraging Carl to start jogging with her.

The two teenagers jogged a little down the stream when two more slimy grey hands shot out and grabbed Carl tripping him and pulling him into the water. Carl kicked and thrashed at the water trying to get it off. Enid jumped into the water to help him and the two of them managed to wrestle the walker off. Then Enid was about to stab it in the head with her knife when the current washed her away.

"Enid!" Carl screamed.

He swam after her and grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him but he couldn't stop the current ripping their hands apart.

"Carl!" screamed Enid.

Carl managed to grab onto the side. Enid tried but failed and she was swept away until she cracked her head hard on a rock. She moaned as blood seeped from the top of her head. Her vision blurred. She could barely hear Carl calling out to her anymore.

Everything sounded like echoes, murky and underwater. Carl was swimming towards her. She remembered his face, full of fear, calling her name and then hauling her up to the side and then nothing. Her eyes closed and she lost consciousness.

Carl shook her and turned her on her side so she wouldn't swallow her tongue. Shit, more walkers, Carl thought. He had to protect Enid. He had to get her away from the stream. "Come on, Enid, please, wake up." he shouted.

But Enid's eyelids remained firmly closed and her slender body remained still. "Ok Carl, this is it." said Carl, talking to himself. "This is your chance to be a man, to be a hero."  
He reached down under her armpits and lifted her to a standing position, then switching his hand to around her waist letting her head roll back on his. He shook her one more time, hoping she'd wake up, but she completely out, cold as stone.

Enid was heavy and he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to carry her but he had to try or else they were both going to die.

Carl turned her around gently, bent down so that her body flopped down over his shoulder. He counted to three and pushed up with his legs using strength he didn't know he had he hefted Enid all the way up.

But that was the easy part. There were walkers all around the stream and he had to get Enid to safety. He walked as quickly as he could to get out of that area carrying Enid over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Suddenly another "W"-etched walker appeared behind him. He heard the groans and slashed his knife back cutting the walker's face in half but doing so made him lose balance and he tumbled to the ground with Enid on top of him.

"This is going to be harder than I thought." Carl said to himself.

He was already out of breath but he couldn't stop now. Carl then noticed tracks. It was the same tracks they had seen in the forest. It was definitely from people. They might be able to help them.

He lifted Enid's limp, lifeless body back up over his shoulder and carried her further and further up stream following the tracks. His legs were shaking and his knees were buckling under her weight but he had to go on, he had to make it. There was no other way.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	3. The Warehouse

The boy waved at Sam again. He watched sit perched on the top of huge wall of Alexandria. He liked the boy. They must have been about the same age.

Sam opened the window and waved back and the boy smiled. The door then creaked open and in walked his older brother.

"Sam! Mom sent my to check on you to see if you're ok. She's worried about you. You're always in your room. Did Carol drop by today?"

Sam jumped up excitedly from his bed and pulled his brother towards the window.

"Look at this." Sam shouted.

"What is it? Keep your voice down."

"There's a boy just sitting on the wall. He was waving to me."

Sam pointed out the window and both he and Ron looked out but Ron couldn't see anything. He could only see Sasha keeping watch in the bell tower on the far side of the town.

"There's nothing there." said Ron. "It's just your imagination."

"No, I'm telling you, there was a boy there. I want to go meet him."

"What? Are you crazy?"

Ron knew well about Sam's over-active imagination. It had gotten him into trouble more than once. Their dad always hated it when he was off in his fantasy land, often striking him and their mom. He was just an eight year old boy with no real school and no friends his own age. Of course, he was going to imagine things, especially other people and friends.

Sam motioned to climb out of the window and Ron raced to stop him.

"What are you doing, Sam?"

"I'm going. Are you coming with me? I'm going with or without you."

Sam wriggled out of Ron's grasp and clambered out of the window. Ron couldn't stop him but then realised the danger he was in. He spun around and quickly tied two old sweaters together. He dangled them out the window and told Sam to hang on. He did the best he could as Ron gently lowered him to the ground.

Ron climbed out after him. He knew it was a stupid idea. But he couldn't let Sam go out alone. Sam looked up as Ron jumped, crashed and rolled on the grass below. The boy was there with a concerned look on his face.

Sam and Ron hid from Sasha in the bell tower. Then against his better judgement, Ron showed Sam a small hole and tunnel that he had dug for himself and Enid to escape one night. Ron looked up at the top of wall. For a second he thought he saw something too. Maybe he was the one with an over-active imagination.

xxxxxxxxx

She looks kinda cute when sleeping, Carl thought to himself; his hormones raging below his belt.

Enid opened her eyes to see Carl smiling down at her. His face appeared completely dark as it blocked out the bright sunlight behind. Enid felt a blissful numbness all over as she tried to figure out where she was. Slowly her feeling came back. First she realised she was lying in soft grass; she could feel the gentle blades brush against her arms and nape. Then the coolness of the air and the fresh smell of the stream lingered in her nostrils as she gathered her bearings and tried to sit up.

That was when the pain struck her. The pain throbbed in the side of her head. It was badly bruised from where she hit the rock and she put her hand on her temple and groaned.

Carl tried to steady her making sure she didn't fall backwards and hit her head again. "What happened?" said Enid in a barely audible whisper. "Where are we?"

"We were attacked by a walker, don't you remember? I had to bring you away from the stream, it was too dangerous there."

Enid thought about what must have happened. How Carl must have fought off the walkers all by himself. She thought about how brave he was. She was impressed but also a little suspicious. She didn't fully believe Carl could do all that.

Carl put an arm around her shoulder to support her as he had a plastic bottle filled with water collected from the stream. He put it to Enid's lips and she started sipping it. Her throat felt so dry and she took the bottle off Carl holding it with both hands as she guzzled the rest of the bottle down.

"Thanks, Carl." she said wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and then handed back the empty bottle to Carl. "I needed that."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, of course. Just a little shook up."

"Listen, we got away from the walkers but I still don't think this is a safe place. We have to keep moving. I found more tracks just like the ones we found in the forest. I think it's leading somewhere."

"You want to keep going?"

"Unless you want to head back?" Carl asked knowing exactly what her answer would be and sure enough replied.

"No way I'm heading back now."

"That's what I thought. Can you stand?"

"Yeah."

Enid sat up straight and Carl extended his hand to her. Enid took it and Carl pulled her to her feet. Carl ended up pulling too hard and Enid lost her balance a little and fell into him with her head hitting his right shoulder.

"Sorry." she said, blushing.

"Don't worry about it." Carl replied going as red as she was. "Looks like the tracks lead a long way away from the stream. I collected enough water to last us the trip but are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine."

But as Enid took a step, her left ankle gave way and she began to limp forward. Carl looked at her and folded his arms, annoyed.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he asked in as lower tone as he could trying to appear masculine and tough. "Doesn't look like you'll be able to make it on your leg."

"It's ok, Carl, really." Enid said, laughing nervously. She continued limping along but was going so slowly and painfully, she barely made it ten feet in front of Carl before she had to stop and rest.

Carl sighed and then laughed out loud.

"What's so funny?" Enid asked looking back at him.

"Looks like I'm going to have carry you."

Enid scoffed. She looked at Carl with his slender frame and his skinny arms. "No way could you carry me!" But Carl knew he could. He already had. It was a shame Enid didn't know as she was unconscious. He was a lot stronger than he thought he was and he saw it as a great chance to get close to her and to touch her.

"Wanna bet?" Carl said, confidently.

"Yeah, I bet you fifty bucks you can't carry me."

WIthout warning Carl strode forward and scooped Enid into his arms as if she were his bride. She squealed as he hoisted her higher and flapped her legs in the air. He jolted her up and got her in a comfortable position with his right arm wrapped around her lower back and his left supporting her thighs. And in that testosterone-fueled moment, she didn't feel heavy at all.

"Well, it's a shame money is worthless now." said Carl, smiling and winking at her. "I'd be fifty dollars richer."

Enid was taken aback. This boy didn't seem like Carl. He was being too brash and cocky, that wasn't like him at all. But somewhere, deep down, she was starting to like this side of him.

"You shouldn't doubt me again, Enid."

Enid playfully tapped him on the chest and then folded her arms and looked away. She was a bit embarrassed. This was the first time anyone had ever held her like this. It felt odd and awkward at first but she was surprised by his strength and she soon found herself relaxing into his arms with her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder.

"These are the tracks." said Carl looking down at the ground and hinting at Enid to do the same.

The tracks led into the distance to a small black spot on the horizon.

"Hey, something's over there. I think we should check that out."

"Well, you're in control, Tarzan." Enid said as she lay still in Carl's embrace. "You lead the way."

"It's a long way." said Carl breathing a little heavier. The testosterone was starting to wear off and he began to realise that this wasn't going to be a simple stroll in the park. "You can always put me down, Carl." said Enid, grinning. Carl didn't reply. But not a chance, he thought. He didn't want to show any weakness. Carl was silent and Enid knew he wasn't going to stop so she wrapped her arms around his neck. Looking up at Carl's face, she realised that she had never seen him this close before. She noticed his cheek and jawline looked more defined and manly than before. His eyes showed fierce determination like a hunter catching his prey which completely belied his sweet boyish good looks.

Enid felt so relaxed she totally forgot about the pain in her head and the pain in her ankle. She felt so relaxed as if she could drift away and she almost did as Carl continued to carry her following the trail of footprints.

 

xxxxxxxx

"Sam, dinner's ready." Jessie shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

There was no reply so Jessie called for him one more time, this time a bit louder. Still there was no reply.

Jessie thought it was strange and climbed up the stairs and into Sam's room. His room was a mess, sheets and toys scattered all over the floor. It was the typical eight year old boy's bedroom. Jessie felt the cool breeze coming through the open window. She went to close it. Sam was always in his bedroom. Jessie thought it was very strange he wasn't there.

As she went to close the window, she thought that he might have escaped out of the window. But that was ridiculous. Why would he do that?

"Ron?" Jessie called out. "Do you know where Sam is?"

Yet again there was silence. Jessie began to get nervous. The world was so dangerous now and Rick had scared her with stories of the outside world beyond the walls. She was terrified of anything happening to her boys. She looked out the window below. It was a good twelve feet. There was no way he could have jumped, she thought. The cookies Carol baked were left half eaten on the side next to the bed. A lump formed in Jessie's throat.

She turned and darted out of the room and down the stairs. Her hair waved in the wind as she stormed out of the front door without so much as a second thought.

Jessie ran down the street and saw Rick running towards her. He was panting heavily and seemed to be in as much a panic as she was.

"Rick!" she shouted.

"Jessie! What is it?"

"Sam, Ron, they're gone!"

"Carl, I can't find him either."

"Oh my, what happened?" said Jessie starting to cry.

Rick hugged her and stroked the her long, blonde hair trying to calm her down. She was shaking but so was he and he also had to fight back the tears.

"Do you think someone kidnapped them?" Jessie asked, fearing the worst.

"No one could get in here without Sasha or I noticing. No one!"

"We've got to keep looking!"

"I'll get them back." said Rick his eyes now gleaming with murderous intent as he pulled his revolver from his holster. "Even if I have to kill someone."

Rick put his arm around Jessie's shoulder and they consoled each other as they walked down the street together still flustered in a panic and wondering where their children were.

The whole way Rick kept screaming for Carl.

"Carl! Caarrrlll! Caaaarrrrlllll!"

 

xxxxx

 

Carl and Enid followed the tracks further and eventually found where they ended. It was the black spot they had seen on the horizon from the stream.

A wire fence covered the parameter of what looked like an old abandoned warehouse. From the outside it seemed about half the size of the prison but outside was a large parking area and a large area of grass.

There were a couple of broken down cars in the parking lot. Just rusty red Fords with the trunks wide open. There was a big storage truck too, the kind that used to bring frozen food up and down the highway before the whole world went to shit.

The gate was surprisingly unlocked and Enid opened it. Carl carried her inside and finally putting her down on a thick yellow parking bollard that was just strong enough to support her weight. Carl shook his arms and rubbed them.

"Thanks for carrying me, Carl." Enid said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Carl smiled and gave a thumbs up but quickly turned his back and screwed his face up and bit his tongue to stop himself crying out. He rubbed his arms again as they hung limp by his side, completely dead.

Carl told Enid to wait sat on the bollard while he scouted the area. She felt unprotected and exposed even though she had a knife and a gun in her backpack. She hoped Carl would come back soon.

But the place seemed quiet, not a sign of life - neither living nor dead. Carl looked peeked inside the warehouse holding his gun ready and then opened the large corrugated metal doors. He went in. It was almost pitch black with only small split windows near the top that were caked in dust letting through slivers of sunlight. The warehouse was largely empty except for a forklift sat in the centre . There were shelves around the outside and on the shelves were stacks of cans. All kinds of cans were there, baked beans, refried beans, spaghetti hoops, chilli - all the things he remembered eating when he was younger. The stuff his mom always made for him.

Carl picked up one of the cans. It was still full of food. Carl pumped his fist in the air. He had hit the jackpot. He took one of the cans and put it in his backpack to show Enid and then had a another quick look around thinking that it would be a good place to spend the night.

"Enid!" Carl shouted as he came running out of the warehouse. Carl shouted her name again but Enid put her finger to her lips and told him to be quiet.

"Shut up! There could be walkers around here." she whispered.

Carl lowered his voice. "I checked the place out. It seems safe."

Carl opened his backpack and showed her the can of beans. Enid looked at the can and caressed it between her hands like she hadn't seen food in weeks.

"There's hundreds of cans here. We can stay the night and then take the rest back to Alexandria."

Enid looked up at the sky. The afternoon blue sky was fading into dusk with an orange tinge lingering behind the clouds. It would be dark soon and cold. They needed a place to stay.

"You know what," said Enid handing him back the can, "I don't want to go back to Alexandria. Let's just stay here."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, there's nothing for us there. This place has fences and walls and food and there's a stream near by. A forest full of nuts and berries. There's no reason why we can't make a home here. What do you say?"

Carl hesitated. He liked Enid and wanted to stay with her at least one more night, but he couldn't imagine deserting Alexandria. He couldn't desert Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Carol, Daryl and especially his dad. They had survived through so much together.

"We'll see." lied Carl. "First, we are going to have to lock that gate."

"I have some rope in my backpack."

Carl took the rope out of Enid's backpack and tied the gate shut using a clove-hitch knot. The same one that Shane taught him. Sometimes he wished Shane was still alive. He always felt so safe when he was with him.

He walked back to Enid and crouched down beside her. There side by side they stared in the sky and watched the sun slowly set as the thin orange haze turned into bright red and then fading darker and darker.

Enid and Carl fell silent and felt uneasy.

They had come all this way and now they were together and alone.

What was next? Carl was scared to make the first move.

Enid put her arm around Carl's neck and brought him in close.

"I really want to thank you for saving my life back there." said Enid. "I know I don't often say it but I appreciate it and I really like you."

"I-I like you too, Enid."

Carl had never heard her say anything nice about him before he sounded strange coming from her lips. She was always so cold and so distant. To feel her warmth gave Carl goosebumps all over.

Enid brought Carl's face closer to hers and then their lips touched and locked together as they kissed. This was Carl's first kiss. He pulled her in and wrapped his tongue around hers just hoping he was doing the right thing. Sweat was beading his forehead. Enid moved her hand over his and they interlocked their fingers. Things were stirring downstairs too. Her lips tasted sweet like honey and this was the moment that all girls throughout his life would be compared to.

He savoured the moment. A rare pin drop of ecstasy smeared across a canvas of pure hell. Carl and Enid released from their kiss and looked in each other's eyes staring right down to their very souls.

Carl and Enid put their arms around each other and looked at the sunset once again.

"This is nice." said Enid, smiling.

When Enid smiled she looked so different. Carl had never seen anything cuter than when she smiled.

"Yeah, really nice."

It was getting darker and the air was getting chillier.

"One more time?" asked Carl moving his face towards Enid's.

"Why not."

And they kissed one more time but as they pulled away, Enid noticed something scrawled in white paint on the side of the truck. She squinted to make sure she read them correctly and when she did horror struck her right down to the core. It read:

WOLVES NOT FAR

She knew what that meant. She had faced the Wolves before when they attacked her camp and slaughtered her mother and her sister. Enid screamed suddenly.

"What is it?" asked Carl.

Enid pointed over to the truck, her hand quivering. Carl turned around and read the writing painted on the side of the truck. He was surprised he hadn't seen it before. WOLVES NOT FAR. He didn't understand it though. Enid was still pointing and shaking and unable to take her eyes off the truck as if she was hypnotised by it. "Wolves not far." she whispered. "Wolves not far."

"What does that mean?" Carl asked grabbing Enid by the shoulders to try to get her to snap out of her trance-like state.

"It means we have to get out of here right now."

Suddenly a buzzer went off and loud rock music started playing from a megaphone on top of the truck. The truck door slid open and out poured twenty walkers, all with "W" etched in their forehead. The grotesque monsters lumbered forward towards Carl and Enid who were frozen in fear.

Carl and Enid scrambled in the backpack searching for weapons - guns, knives, anything, but they all fell through their nervous little fingers like jelly.

Eventually Carl managed to grab his knife and Enid got her gun. Enid shot one in the head and it went down but there were more. A dozen more came out of the truck. Carl ran up and slashed two with his knife, stabbing them both in the temple but there were just too many of them and they soon found themselves surrounded. Carl and Enid thought it was better to retreat and Carl helped Enid to stand and hobble over to the fence. When they got to the fence, they realised they were trapped. Carl had sealed the gate shut with the rope and they were faced with some thirty walkers marching towards them slowly but agonisingly.

Enid shot one more and another but it wasn't enough. They just kept coming. Carl and Enid held each other's hand thinking that this was the end of their journey. But they wanted to go out together and fighting.

Suddenly they heard the sound of flesh being ripped apart and then blood spurted out as the walkers were decapitated one by one from behind.

A metal sword and death stars sliced through them until they were all on the ground headless and in the pool of their own zombie-infected blood.

Carl and Enid watched on in awe and amazement. They watched the walkers fall - their heads cut off and their bodies torn in two. Their mouths were wide-open and their eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

Out of the darkness stepped two figures they didn't expect to see. One was a teenage girl, a little bit older than Enid, with long pink and green dyed hair tied back in a pony tail. She was tall and slim and was wearing khaki shorts and knee high socks with army boots. She was the one holding the metal sword.

Next to her was a young boy with short blonde hair, decked out in a red sweater and jeans. He looked much younger than Carl. He had a small, round face and a cheeky grin. He must have only been about eight or nine years old.

Carl and Enid pointed their weapons at them and the boy and girl raised their arms up in surrender.

"Hi." said the girl. "Do you speak English?"

"Y-Yeah." Enid replied.

"Looks like we got here just in time. My name is Becky. Becky Finnegan. This is my little brother, Tom. Nice to meet you."

Carl and Enid lowered their weapons.

Becky extended her hand to shake but Carl and Enid were reluctant to do so. They were still in shock and scared out of their minds. These two kids had just taken down thirty walkers using a metal sword and some ninja death stars.

Sam went around and collected the death stars that were scattered along the ground. Some were still stuck in the walkers' flesh and when he pulled them out, he also pulled out mangled guts and intestines which covered him in blood.

Enid and Carl covered their mouths thinking they were going to be sick.

"What's your names?" asked Becky.

"I'm Enid. This is Carl."

"What are you doing all the way out here by yourselves?"

Carl and Enid didn't answer. Something else was troubling them apart from their youthful appearance and their dangerous weapons. They looked closer and on their cheek bore a mark. It was a number. The boy had number 14 written on his, while the girl had number 2.

Carl and Enid were spooked but they were grateful for being saved and extended their hands and shook hands with Becky and Tom.

"Very pleased to meet you." said Tom. "It's been a while since we've found some healthy young people."

Becky and Tom both smiled but Carl and Enid didn't. They just stared right at them with terror turning in their minds.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. The Mountain

The stream washed down as they followed along the plains up to the dark hazy mountains on the horizon that stood against the backdrop. Carl stared up at them with their jagged outline and ominous presence that he was walking straight into hell.

Becky and Tom led the way as they had done ever since they left the warehouse. Becky's katana blade was strapped to her back and little Tom had his death stars in his hands waiting and ready.

Both looked so unassuming and innocent. But the way they handled themselves against the walkers, Carl and Enid knew they were special. Carl wanted to follow them but was also wary and cautious. He kept his distance, at least a few metres back at all times, and he was ready with his knife and gun in case those kids turned on them at any time.

After the governor, it was so hard for Carl to trust. Enid too found it hard to trust, but she too was fascinated and wanted to know more. She had seen her family slaughtered by the Wolves right in front of her. These kids didn't seem like that though. They were clean and well-groomed. Wherever their camp was, it had to be good and it had to be safe.  
Enid had her arm looped over Carl's neck as he supported her as she hobbled along. Bolts of pain still shot out every time she took a step and she leaned her weight on Carl who snaked his left arm around her waist to give her more support.

Becky and Tom realised they were a long way in front of them and turned around looking annoyed.

"Come on," said Becky. "You're really slowing us up. We'd be there by now if it wasn't for you."

"Can't you see she's injured?" replied Carl, stopping in his tracks and pointing down to Enid's ankle.

"You're going to get us all killed." Tom cried. "There's no room for the weak anymore. I say we leave them."

Becky put her hands up in front of Tom to calm him down.

"Now, Tom there's no need for that. I'm sure they have useful skills. We've seen them in the forest, remember? They're good."

"What do you mean you've seen us?" Enid asked looking both angry and confused. "You were spying on us?"

"We weren't spying on you." Becky replied. "We always come down to this forest. It's great for hunting. Where are you from anyway? You have a camp?"

"Yeah we do." said Carl. "It's a few miles away. It has walls and fences, a good watch tower, solar panels and a strong leader. It's almost perfect. How about you?"

"We have a place, we'll show you. I think you'll like it and fit right in."

"We've had a lot of bad experiences." said Carl. "What makes you so sure?"

"I'm sure you have. But this place is special. There is no other place like this. It is a fortress beyond all fortresses. You could settle down there for the rest of your lives."

"Why are you helping us?" Enid asked squinting one eye, suspicious of these kids.

"You don't need a reason to help someone." Tom said. "Isn't that how we used to be."

Becky and Tom both smiled warmly and Enid and Carl both smiled back. Carl and Enid both looked at each other and gave themselves reassuring but also worried looks. Enid especially was distrustful of people after seeing her camp ripped apart by the Wolves. Everything was torched and set alight and walkers were left to roam freely devouring everything in their path.

"What's with the numbers?" asked Enid referring to numbers engraved into their cheek.

"It's not important right now." replied Becky. "Come on, we'll show you our camp. It's a long way to go. We want to get there before sunset."

Enid tried one more time to stand on her injured ankle but after only two steps it completely gave way and she collapsed and Carl had to react quickly to catch her before she hit the ground.

Carl bent down and put his right arm underneath Enid's knees and picked her up and started carrying her again. Becky and Tom gave a thumbs up knowing that this would probably be a faster way of moving than Enid limping and having to stop every ten yards.

But Carl was tired too and hungry. He hadn't eaten properly since leaving Alexandria and carrying Enid's light, slender body now felt like carrying a ten tonne truck. Carl grimaced but he didn't want to say anything. He just bit his lip and kept walking on. They walked closer and closer to the foot of the mountains. What was once just a hazy dark outline was now an imposing presence in front of them. The stream flowed down from the mountain and Carl suggested they stopped for a drink.

Carl was exhausted and he dropped Enid to the ground rather ungracefully as his arms gave out on him.

"Ok, let's stop for five minutes." said Becky. "But no longer. We're almost there."

Enid sat up and Carl offered her some water he had scooped up in a cup. They both sat down and drank while Becky and Tom stood watching over them. Tom was getting antsy. He wanted to make a move before the walkers came. "Let's just go, Becky." he said quietly.

"No, no, we've come too far to help them. And imagine if we had abandoned some of the others. We wouldn't have a camp at all."

Carl and Enid couldn't hear their conversation and weren't interested either. They continued to drink from the stream and then they sat side by side. Enid put her arm around Carl and pulled him close.

"We'll be ok, Carl." Enid said quietly. "We'll just have each other."

"It's not too late to go back to Alexandria."

"No, I don't want to go back there. Wherever this place is, it has to be better than there."

Carl and Enid held hands and Tom stuck his tongue out and turned away. Becky giggled.

Carl knew he couldn't really go back to Alexandria now too. They had followed Becky and Tom for nearly a whole day from the warehouse now to the mountains. But the strangest thing was, they hadn't encountered one walker along the way. Carl thought they were starting to get lucky but perhaps that was too soon.

A walker climbed out of the stream and Enid screamed. Carl sprung up and put his body in front of hers protecting her. Becky took out her katana as three more walkers climbed out of the stream groaning and lumbering up the bank and staggering towards them.

Enid shuffled backwards but when she turned around, she saw three walkers just behind her. Becky counted, there were ten walkers suddenly all around them, they were surrounded. Carl saw the walkers coming towards Enid and he ran up and stabbed on in the head with his knife. The walker fell down on top of him and they both crashed too the ground. Carl couldn't get up from under the weight and Becky and Tom both sighed before readying their weapons. In mere seconds, Becky and Tom slashed through the walkers cutting their flesh up and decapitating them all one by one, hacking them down with no trouble at all.

And then they stood, not even breaking a sweat, with Carl and Enid down on the ground panting and panicking. They had never seen anything like that, not from two kids. How could they learn to fight like that? Carl thought.

Carl looked back at Enid who was still staring at them wide-eyed in shock. Becky then used her katana blade to cut the walkers more. She began to slice their skin off. Enid thought she was going to be sick. The smell was horrifying.

Tom helped peel skin off, ripping with his bare hands and then passing it over to Becky who draped the walker skin over her shoulder.

"Good thing these walkers came." Becky said. "We needed some fresh skin."

Enid mind went blank. Watching those kids slice and peel the walker skin and then wear it on their shoulders was too much for Enid to handle. She lost focus, eyes rolled back and she could feel everything get darker and further away as she fell back and fainted.

Carl immediately rushed over to her side and shook her trying to wake her up. But Becky and Tom both laughed.

"We've got to help her!" Carl cried.

"Ok, our camp is not too far from here." said Becky. "Seems like she just fainted."

Becky and Tom didn't seem worried at all but Carl was worried and he got up and tried to lift Enid off the ground. He didn't have the strength left now though and when he picked her up, he lost his balance and they both fell back to the ground.

Becky and Tom both laughed again.

"How did you kids survive out here so long?" Becky asked. Carl didn't reply but accepted her hand when she extended it to help him to his feet. Becky then reached down and picked Enid up straight off the ground and tossed her over her shoulder with ease in one fluid motion.

Carl was surprised. Becky didn't look strong. She just seemed like a regular teenage girl, like Enid, not that tall and quite skinny. But the way she carried Enid amazed Carl. He could barely carry her ten metres without stopping to rest. And also the way she took out the walkers was incredible too. Carl wanted to stick around them. He felt safe and protected.  
Tom tossed Carl some of the walker skins and told him to carry them. He did. They were heavier than he thought they were going to be and their smell was so putrid that Carl almost fainted too and he staggered back and had to regain his composure and focus hard to keep himself upright.

"You know, Carl, your girlfriend is pretty weak." said Tom. "In this world, the weak die soon."

Carl blushed as Becky caught him staring at Enid.

"She's not my girlfriend!"

"Yeah, right, whatever." said Becky as she winked.

Carl blushed again.

Tom led the way now and they all followed him. Carl was the slowest still well behind the pace of Tom and Becky with Enid on her shoulder. The ground now was steeper than before. The flat plains had been easy to traverse but now Carl was really starting to feel the burn in his thighs.

They followed a paved path as it zigzagged up to a forestry area. The paved path was soon replaced by a muddy one and Carl looked down at his shoes now caked in mud and leaves but they still smelt better than the walker skin he had over his shoulder.

"Are we going to climb this whole mountain?" asked Carl, out of breath.

"Not all the way up." Tom replied. "The gates are nearby."

Carl continued to follow the others up the mountain, up the winding path getting ever stepper and steeper.

"Are you not tired?" Carl asked Becky who was still carrying Enid over her shoulder like she was nothing.

"No, why would I be tired?"

"We've come all this way, carrying Enid and you're not even breaking a sweat. You're not any bigger than me or Enid."

Becky touched Carl on the cheek with the palm of his hand.

"Dear child, you have a lot to learn."

"We train." Tom interjected. "You are weak because you are just protected but you will see that our community is a bit different. There's no cookies and ice cream here which is obviously what you're used to."

Carl kept thinking about what this new community must be like. Was he walking straight into a trap? The thought crossed his mind more than once. He had experienced it at Terminus but these kids made him feel differently to the disingenuous cannibals at that place.

He also thought about Alexandria and his dad. He wanted to stay there as long as he could and make a home there and perhaps even get married there. That thought had crossed his mind more than once too. Enid's thirst for adventure made his chest feel fluttery and he couldn't escape the fact that he really liked her.

"We're almost there now." said Becky. "Your girlfriend is going to be just fine."

Carl's cheeks went bright pink again and Becky smiled back at him.

They passed through the forest area and eventually came to the the gates. They had climbed about 500 metres up from sea level and looking up, Carl could see the peak another 500 metres in the distance.

The gates were surprisingly small with just a small barbed wire fence cutting off the perimeter. Two sheets of corrugated steel made up the gates supported by two wooden beams. The gates were only about four food high, nothing like the twelve foot high walls Carl was used to at Alexandria.

"Pass me the skin, Carl?" Tom asked.

As soon as Carl touched it, he almost vomited. Hacking and coughing, he threw Tom the skin that he had over his shoulder. Tom then put it over the gates.

"What are you doing?" Carl asked.

"This is for protection. It stops the walkers coming in."

"Those gates seem pretty small. What about other people?"

"We have encountered any so far but this isn't the only gate, there are more. This is only the gate to first level."

""First level?"

"Come on, you will see."

Meanwhile as Carl was helping Tom place more walker skin over the gates, Enid slowly opened her eyes. She looked around and then down at the ground which was so far below her. With her mind still half groggy, she felt like she was flying.

"Where am I?" "Hey, welcome back, Enid." said Becky. "We made it back home. I think you're really going to like it here."

Becky placed Enid back on her feet as she stumbled backwards into Carl's arms.

"How's your ankle?" Carl asked.

"It's ok, I think I can put some weight on it now."

Enid tried walking and while she was still limping, it wasn't as painful as before. Carl was still worried about her though and circled his arm around her waist for support.

"I just said I'm fine." said Enid.

"Yeah I know." Carl said. "I just want to, that's all."

Enid was the one blushing now, her face turning a bright red. Becky giggled and smiled but little Tom rolled his eyes.

Becky and Tom opened the gates and let Carl and Enid through. As soon as they made it through the gates, they slammed shut and they were approached by two younger looking boys holding spears, both had numbers carved into their cheeks too. One, with black hair, had the number '50' and the other, with a shaved head, had '42'.

"Who are these two?" the boy with black hair asked.

"Hi, Zack. They're new." said Becky. "We found them in trouble near that old abandoned warehouse. They must have been looking for supplies."

"Don't they know that warehouse is just a trap?" scoffed Zack. "I don't think we should let them in. They sound stupid. Everyone knows that the Wolves control that area."  
The name made Enid's heart skip a beat.

"You know about them?"

"Of course." replied Zack. "We've never seen them in person but we rescued a few people when that warehouse was attacked. Some kids who said they came from Atlanta. Was very surprised they made it this far."

"I'm from Atlanta too." said Carl. Zack laughed. "Well, perhaps you'd like to meet them."

They followed Zack up the mountain path while the other boy remained guarding the gate.

"You seem quite young." said Carl. "You all do."

Zack sneered down at Carl. He was a teenager about the same age as him but he hated being called a child.

"Are there any adults here?" Enid asked.

"Adults?" Zack and Becky burst out laughing but Carl and Enid couldn't understand it.

After ten minutes zigzagging up the mountain trail, they came to a flat area. There they saw more children, all of them looked under ten, playing tag and skipping rope and laughing and screaming.

"This is the rest area." Zack explained. "We will stop here for a moment."

Zack then moved next to Becky and whispered in her ear.

"Should I take them to see Mother?"

"No, it's too early." Becky whispered back.

Carl looked around. It looked like a schoolyard. Then he saw two young girls with blonde hair skipping rope together. He thought he recognised them and he squinted his eyes and walked slowly over to where they were playing.

He kept thinking to himself where he had seen the girls before. They looked so familiar.

"Hey, girls!" Carl called out. "Do I know you?"

The girls stopped playing for a moment and turned to him.

"Carl!" one of the girls cried.

And as they turned their heads to look at him, Carl saw them more clearly and he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Mika? Lizzie? What are you doing here? I thought you didn't make it."

"No, we made it." said Lizzie. "Thanks to the people here. There are so kind."

"Yeah, Carl, you should stay." said Mika. "It's better now."

Carl was so confused and scared. He was sure they were dead. They both had numbers carved into their cheeks as well. Mika had '24'. Lizzie had '23'. Carl touched them and hugged them to make sure they were real. And they were. Tears began to swell up in his eyes. He was so happy to see them.

"Carl!" Carl heard the voice come from behind him and he spun around and saw another blonde haired girl who looked around the same age as him. She had the number '6' carved into her cheek.

Carl was confused. He didn't seem to recognise her at all.

"Don't you know her?" asked Mika. "She said she knew you. This is Sophia."

"Sophia?" Carl said breathlessly, staggering backwards.

Carl stared deeply into Sophia's blue eyes. It was all to much for him to handle as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fainted.

 

TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
